For five episodes of Business Tech and Innovation, hosted on Armed Forces Radio 107.7FM , Abuja.
Leaders from the African University of Science and Technology [AUST] and Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem laid out a roadmap for moving the country from research and import dependence to industrial growth and job creation.
The series, hosted by Chukwuma Ngaha and produced by Joy Agbakwue featured AUST President Prof. Peter Azikiwe Onwualu, AUSTInspire Hub Manager Mr. Kingsley Ogwudu, Business and Consultancy Coordinator Dr. Anthony Anyakorah, Acting VP Academic Dr. Abdulhakeem Bello, and Acting HOD Mechanical Engineering Dr. David Afolayan.
Opening the series, Prof. Onwualu said excellence and discipline must guide higher education in Nigeria. At AUST, he explained, this is enforced through strict grading, weekly assessments, and a signed honor code to curb academic dishonesty. Through the AUST Inspire Hub and a new partnership with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure [NASENI], students are developing market-ready solutions in healthcare technology and sustainable energy.
“Universities must produce graduates who can solve Africa’s problems, not just pass exams,” Onwualu said.
On funding of Innovation for national survival, Mr. Ogwudu argued that funding innovation is no longer optional for Nigeria. He described innovation as the driver of jobs, GDP growth, and import substitution, warning that nations that fail to invest “choose poverty.”
He highlighted the just concluded African X Summit as a platform used to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial production, with a focus on agro-processing, renewable energy, health tech, and manufacturing. Ogwudu stressed that policymakers and investors must develop tolerance for risk, noting that innovation rarely succeeds without failed experiments.
On bridging the ‘Valley of Death’, Dr. Anyakorah, who coordinates AUST’s Business and Consultancy Services, examined why many Nigerian research projects stall between prototype and commercialization. He identified trust deficits, funding gaps, and weak market validation as key obstacles.
He said the solution lies in structured incubation, industry feedback, and policies that mandate public institutions to procure a percentage of innovations from universities. “Academics must step out of the lab and test ideas against real market demand,” he said.
Dr. Bello, Acting VP Academic and Director of Academic Planning, focused on building a culture of excellence by emphasising on the importance of skills and mindset young Nigerians need to compete globally in 2026. He said excellence today requires digital literacy, problem-solving ability, and adaptability beyond classroom grades.
AUST is responding by embedding project-based learning, entrepreneurship, and digital tools into its curriculum. Bello cited Rwanda and South Africa as models for linking universities directly to industry through policy and internships. He identified fintech, agritech, clean energy, and industrial automation as the fastest-growing opportunities for Nigerian youth.